Leather shrinking device



July 28, 1936. H, L b N 2,048,760

LEATHER SHRINK ING DEVICE Filed NOV. 27, 1934 l/ n q 4/ L 2 33 Z3 2 /7 V 3/ f Y 2 Patented July 28, 1936 ears LEATHER SHRINKING DEVICE Harry L. Urdang, Hackensack Township, Bergen County, N. 5.

Application November 2'7, 1934, Serial No. 755,068

3 Claims.

My invention relates to a device for shrinking leathers such as are use-d in shoes, hat bands, etc., by the application of controlled heat.

Ihe main object of my invention is to provide for the average'retail store a device that will enable an operator to shrink leathers, without the danger of burning or scorching, so as to reshape a'shoe or hat band, remove wrinkles, etc., and to adjust the heating unit to the most comfortable position for the work in hand.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 shows a side View of the device. Figure 2 shows a plan view of the device, taken on line 88 of Figures 1, 3, and 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

.Figure 3 shows a vertical section through the device, taken on line-9-9 of Figures 2, 4, 5, and 6, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figured shows a front view of the device and the left turn cycle of the head.

Figure 5 shows a vertical section through the device, taken on line Iii-4 E3 of Figures 1, 2, and 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 shows a vertical section through the head of the device, taken on line ll-H of Figures l, 2, and 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 shows a partial front view of the device and the right turn cycle of the head.

39 The device consists of a hollow stand, preferably made of cast metal, having a pedestal section 52, a base section l3 and a top or shoulder section iii.

The stand maybe secured to a table, represented by the lines i5, with the screws is.

When it is desired to secure the stand to a wall, as represented by the lines ll, the channel section wall plate !8 is first anchored to the wall with expansion bolts l9 and the stand is then secured to this wall plate as hereinafter described.

The wall plate I8 is designed. to fit against the back of the stand and is provided with an integral baseplateZfl and bosses M to engage the bottom of the stand, and with integral top flange 22 to secure the top ofthe stand through the screw 23.

Figures 1 and-4 show by dash lines a recess 2 provided at the back of the pedestal l2 to accommodate the wall plate l8 and an opening 25 in this recess for thepassage of the electric cable when the stand is mounted on a table.

The shoulder section IQ terminates in a neck section 25 designed to form a bearing for the 55 tube 21. a

To the front end of the tube 2'! is secured by a screw, a sleeve 28 integral with the supporting plate 29 of the head'36.

The head 38 is secured to the supporting plate 29 with screws 3i and is separated therefrom by a sheet 32 and washers 33 of heat insulating material.

The holes 34 in plate 29 are made larger than the screws 3! so as to avoid contact and recesses are provided in plate 29 for the washers S3 to facilitate centering when assembling the various parts described.

The head is the heater of the device and contains therein a standard electric heating unit 35 connected in series with a standard automatic thermostatic cell 36, arranged to maintain a constant temperature of the head ranging from 200 to a maximum of 250 degrees.

The heating unit 35 is separated from the thermostat 36 by a sheet 31 of heat insulating inaterial.

An insulating cable 38 is passed through the tube 21 into the shoulder section i of the device and is designed to connect in series the heatunit 35 and the thermostat fi'fi'with a standard toggle switch ii! and pilot light unit ii, mounted on top of the device, and is then extended beyond the device to a plug-not shown for attachment to the'available supply of electric current. v

The head 30 is provided near the front end with protuberant sections 42' which create con cave sections tsnear the turning axis of the head.

For shrinking shoe leather, this shape of head is desirable for it fits the general shape of the shoe and when the shoe is put on, it reaches from the insole or bottom to the quarter or top, thereby making a shrinkage that is uniform and without wrinkles or distortion.

For shrinking leather hat bands, straps, gloves and other leather materials a head without the protuberant sections 42 may be employed having a section as shown by dotted lines Ml in Figure 2, or the head may be otherwise modified to suit the specific purpose.

Figure 6 illustrates a head having an elliptical cross section as a simple and preferred form of head, however, it is to be understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise form of head exhibited. but that modifications within the scopeof the invention may be resorted to when desired.

The head is designed to turn in two cycles, each in an arc of 90 degrees as hereinafter described.

The turning of the head is controlled by a turn knob 58-, threaded on the lever rod M which is integral with the hub 52 and is mounted freely on the tube 21.

The lever rod 5| is guided in a quadrant formed by the segmental wings 53 integral with the side of the shoulder section 15 and the slot 54 which limits the travel of the lever rod.

To secure the" lever rod 5'! inany given position, a washer 55 is provided, shaped to fit the curvature of the wings 53, and is interposed between same and the turn knob 50.

The washer 55 is provided with projections 56, which are extended into the channel formed by the wings 53, to prevent it from turning.

A spacing sleeve 51 is placed around the tube 21 between the neck 26 and the hub 52.

Another sleeve 58 is secured by the screw 59 to the end of the tube 21 and a compression spring 68 is placed between same and the hub 52.

The hub 52 is provided with two pockets El and 62 and a connecting channel 63 which is only half the depth of the pockets but sufficiently deep to permit the head of the screw 64 to pass from one pocket to the other. 7

The screw 64 is secured to the tube 27 and when in the position shown in Figure 3, it establishes a firm contact between the tube 2'! and the lever 5!.

Figures 4 and 5 show the head 30 set for the left turn cycle when the screw head 64 is in the depression 6| of the hub 52.

Moving the lever 5| from A to B to C develops a turn of the head from the vertical position at Al to B! to Cl respectively.

To change to the right turn cycle, it is necessary to secure the lever 5| against movement as illustrated for the present purpose at A Figure 4, then pull the head 30 away from the supporting stand, turn it to the right a quarter turn or to the horizontal position shown at El in Figure 7 and release the head 30.

By this operation the pull of the head compresses spring Bil, moves the screw head out of the pocket 6!, along the channel 63 when the head is turned and into the pocket 62 when the tension on the head 30 is released.

Figure 6 shows the head 30 set .for the right turn cycle and moving the lever 5| from E to F to G develops a turn of the head from the horizontal position at El to Fl to GI respectively.

The parts in section l5 are assembled through a bottom opening covered by the removable plate ill, having a lug H at one end and a U shaped section 72 and opening 13 at the opposite end.

The lug end of the cover is held in place by a lock formed by the projections 15 on the sides of the section l5 contacting the cover and the lug ll engaging the side of the opening.

A tongue 76 integral with the bottom of section l5 extends into the opening 13 of the cover when in place, and a corresponding tongue 'l'l forms the bottom of the U section 12.

When the cover is secured in place with the screw 78, the two tongues 16 and '1'! form a bearing and hinge for the supporting arm 80 of the cup 8|.

The supporting arm at is provided with a stifiening rib 82 and with projection 83 at the hinge end to limit its swing from the closed or covered position at 8| to the open position at 85 when the cup is made accessible for use.

This cup is used to hold suitable leather shrinking liquids. v

The operation of the device is very simple and practical as it requires only the turning of the switch 40 and the setting of the head 30 to any desired position Within the limits of the quadrant as shown in Figures 4' and '7 which is accomplished by moving the lever 5| and tightening the turn knob 50.

The temperature of the heating head will be limited to the maximum it is set for which experience has determined to be 250 degrees.

Shrinking liquid from the cup 8| is applied to the leather and same is placed against the heater head 30 at any point advantageous for the intended shaping or shrinking.

By pressing the leather against the head the shrinking action is set in motion and with an increase in pressure a corresponding increase in shrinkage is obtained.

As the maximum temperature is under automatic control operation can be continued without fear of brittling, burning or scorching the leather.

When more heat is required for shrinking heavier leather the treatment is prolonged resulting in a slow, gradual shrinkage most desirable to avoid brittleness.

As most leather shrinking treatments involve considerable shaping as well, the head may be quickly moved around to any position desirable for the work in hand.

The head being well insulated from the rest of the device, there is no heat transmission and therefore no danger of burning the operator's hands or wrists or of unknowingly burning or scorching any part of a shoe or other article, while operating the device.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by letters patent is:

1. A leather shrinking device, comprising a stand, a shaped heating head, a heating element and thermostatic control disposed within said head, means for conducting to said head and for controlling a, supply of electric current, mechanism for supporting and turning said heating head in quartered stages to any position around an axis, a quadrant control for holding said heating head in any predetermined position and means for changing the relation between the quadral movement of the heating head and that of the control mechanism as set forth herein.

2. A leather shrinking device, comprising a stand with means for anchoring to a table, auxiliary means for anchoring to a wall, a top section for housing the operating mechanism, a heater head movably supported by said top section and insulated from the body of the device, mechanism for turning said heater head, quadrant control for securing said heater head in any given position and a. thermostatically controlled electrical heating unit disposed within said heating head with means for supplying same with electrical current through a switch and signal light as set forth herein.

3. A leather shrinking device, comprising a stand with means for anchoring to a. table, auxiliary means for anchoring to a wall, a top section for housing the operating mechanism, a heater head turnably supported by said top section, means for insulating the heater head from the body of the device, a thermostatically controlled heating unit disposed within said heating head, means for supplying and controlling the supply of electrical energy to said heater head, mechanism for turning said heater head around an axial support, mechanism for holding said heater head in any position by quadrant control, means for gaining access to the interior of the stand and a cup for liquids supported radially under the said top section by an arm with limiting means for exposing or covering its top as set forth herein.

HARRY L. URDAN G. 

